I appreciated how different this example was from a lot that I've seen out there. A lot of the case examples I see out there, it seems like the interviewee has perfected the craft of case interviewing. It was helpful to watch someone struggle through a case a bit more and learn from how they handled that. Just more relatable to myself and where I am at in the case process!
All case interviews on TH-cam are presented in school style. I'm glad to see a real interview and what mistakes candidates usually make. I want to emphasize that the candidate did not make a hypothesis in the beginning.
I've probably seen about 10 case studies and this is the first one I can say feels unfair. It's not uncommon for some facts to be left out to make sure that you're thinking (eg. What is the Canadian market), but considerably more than half of the interview is spent calculating the total market size. While this is not completely irrelevant, it is a little bit of a red herring from the original question. We seek to advise the PE firm about whether they could make make changes that would allow for a successful investment. Billy did originally have a number of the buckets that would really help here: the change in market, growing market share, the profitability per unit, or the synergies the firm could add. Instead, he gets handed a bunch of most irrelevant data that seems little more than an exercise to make sure he can do math. I think that the candidate deserves some blame for not insisting on more relevant data, but I have to admit it felt like our interviewer led him a bit astray here. I've liked every other case I've seen from Jenny Rae, but this one really felt like the candidate was treated unfairly. That said, I thought the feedback at the end was accurate and I think that if the candidate focused on that he could learn a lot from this practice session.
Wow, 16:08 , I didn’t know the whole interviewer will have that much data lol. If that’s the case I might as well design a whole model. I don’t know if they mentioned this yet, but is asking about variable cost & other products a valid question? Lastly, should I focus strictly on options that will make the investment profitable instead of on other factors that comes with decision making?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📚 *Introduction to Billy Oxley and interest in consulting* - Introduction of the guest, Billy Oxley, and his background. - Reasons for interest in consulting and case interviews. - Expectations from the session for case interview preparation. 01:20 🏆 *Motivation and Preparation for Case Interviews* - Billy's motivation for consulting driven by a mission for social justice. - Preparation strategies for real case interviews through podcast listening. 02:22 🎯 *Introduction to the Case Study: Bubble Bottles* - Overview of the PwC style case study involving Bubble Bottles. - Explanation of the client's business, market position, and the goal of improving operations for a profitable exit. 03:55 📈 *Background Information on the Case Study* - Detailed description of Bubble Bottles’ business model, market presence, and the objective of the private equity firm. 06:27 🕵️♂️ *Analytical Approach to the Case Study* - Billy outlines his analytical framework to address the case study. - Focus on market analysis, financials, qualitative aspects, and the PE firm's goals. 10:31 🔍 *Deep Dive into Market Dynamics and Competitive Landscape* - Discussion on understanding the competitive landscape and market dynamics for Bubble Bottles. 13:24 💡 *Market Sizing and Analysis Techniques* - Explanation of market sizing techniques relevant to the plastic bottle industry. - Discussion on factors affecting the market and Bubble Bottles' position within it. 17:20 📊 *Calculation and Analysis for Market Sizing* - Detailed calculation for market sizing including considerations for the U.S., Latin America, and Canada. - Discussion on the economic discount factor and its implications for market analysis. 24:21 🧮 *Correcting Calculation Mistakes* - Discussion on correcting mathematical errors in market sizing. - Emphasis on the importance of accurately adding zeros and understanding the scale of calculations. 27:01 📉 *Adjusting Market Sizing Calculations* - Adjustment of market sizing calculations for Latin America and Canada. - Recognition of discrepancies in initial calculations and efforts to correct them. 33:50 💰 *Calculating Revenue by Bottle Size Segment* - Calculation of total market size and revenue distribution across different bottle sizes. - Emphasis on profit margins and market segmentation to identify growth opportunities. 39:25 📈 *Identifying Growth Opportunities* - Evaluation of growth opportunities in the large, medium, and small bottle segments. - Decision-making based on market size, account numbers, and profit margins to prioritize growth efforts. 41:37 📝 *Feedback and Case Wrap-up* - Feedback on the case performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. - Final thoughts on the investment opportunity and strategic recommendations for the client. 45:53 📝 *Feedback on Structure and Math* - Feedback on improving structure and math accuracy. - Encouragement to simplify calculations and focus on strategic market growth. 47:16 🧠 *Strategy and Market Analysis* - Emphasis on the importance of top-line growth and market segmentation for strategic focus. - Discussion on reflecting on math shortcuts and clarifications for better understanding. 49:07 🎯 *Identifying Growth Opportunities and Final Recommendation* - Identification of growth opportunities in the water bottle market. - Conclusion and recommendation based on market analysis and profitability margins. 51:34 🚀 *Final Thoughts and Learning Points* - Recap of key learning points from the caseinterview. - Emphasis on clarity, positivity, and the importance of accurate and fast math correction. Made with HARPA AI
24:44 was misleading by the interviewer, he got the num right ($102B), but questioned him billion or trillion to make him 2nd guess which led him to incorrect calculation.
shouldnt he have multiplied 80L by 0.67 rather than 0.33 to get the Litre consumption in Lat Am? Lat Am has an economic discount of 1/3 meaning that they consume 1/3 less than the US, not that they consume 1/3 of what the US conumes. Let me know if im wrong :)
The way I read the information is 1/3 is the economic discount factor. So, I multiplied the factor with the US data. But this is a good point and can be clarified during the interview
@@ascanafire7105 Congrats! I am having my case interview next week and feel really nervous abt it. Could you please tell me if your real case was similar to this one? Was it difficult? What were you required to calculate? What materials did you find particularly helpful in your preparation apart from this mock case interview? I would really appreciate your help. Thanks
@@spacebetweenus7139 mine was for consulting so I didn't have to calculate anything, just had to come up with a plan how I would implement new software into business of a big client, in phases. First that, then that, then check that etc. It was not hard.
12:39 interview is nerve wracking, dude forgot the company is B2B not B2C. It’s normal to get nervous. Lesson: don’t let this affect further part of the interview.
No, you need to know how big is the market and growth rate in the first step. If the market is small and/or not growing, the PE decision to not go through with the deal is practically made right then
@@merylzhang6730 Because the client is the PE firm (Rockwell(?)), and not the water bottle manufacturer. Secondly, the bottle manufacturer (Bubble bottles) does not sell branded water to customers, but sells non-labeled bottles to brands like Fiji etc.
@@MrShneedleWoods So would the focus be better on the economics of the water bottle companies (revenues, number of water bottle companies in the geo markets, their market cap, etc)?
Feel free to connect in our free LinkedIn group for case practice partners if you're looking to practice those case types: www.linkedin.com/groups/13980703/
He started the case as the question is "should client acquire this company" and he did not asked any clarifying questions. I thought the case was about "the client want to acquire (will acquire) and actually wondering how to grow that acquired business". I think this is not a very good example of solving a case
Hey everyone if anyone wants to practice with someone I have an upcoming in interview this week! If anyone is looking for a partner we can work on this together!
I appreciated how different this example was from a lot that I've seen out there. A lot of the case examples I see out there, it seems like the interviewee has perfected the craft of case interviewing. It was helpful to watch someone struggle through a case a bit more and learn from how they handled that. Just more relatable to myself and where I am at in the case process!
Absolutely! Thanks for following along, Theresa.
This interview put me more nervous than watching the final Argentina France
this was so helpful thanks! I have an interview this week, and i was working along with him to answer the questions. Such a great way to practice
Good luck with your interview! Keep us posted - team@managementonsulted.com
Wondering if better allow using a calculator?? We need to leverage technology.
All case interviews on TH-cam are presented in school style. I'm glad to see a real interview and what mistakes candidates usually make.
I want to emphasize that the candidate did not make a hypothesis in the beginning.
I've probably seen about 10 case studies and this is the first one I can say feels unfair. It's not uncommon for some facts to be left out to make sure that you're thinking (eg. What is the Canadian market), but considerably more than half of the interview is spent calculating the total market size. While this is not completely irrelevant, it is a little bit of a red herring from the original question. We seek to advise the PE firm about whether they could make make changes that would allow for a successful investment. Billy did originally have a number of the buckets that would really help here: the change in market, growing market share, the profitability per unit, or the synergies the firm could add. Instead, he gets handed a bunch of most irrelevant data that seems little more than an exercise to make sure he can do math. I think that the candidate deserves some blame for not insisting on more relevant data, but I have to admit it felt like our interviewer led him a bit astray here. I've liked every other case I've seen from Jenny Rae, but this one really felt like the candidate was treated unfairly. That said, I thought the feedback at the end was accurate and I think that if the candidate focused on that he could learn a lot from this practice session.
Wow, 16:08 , I didn’t know the whole interviewer will have that much data lol. If that’s the case I might as well design a whole model. I don’t know if they mentioned this yet, but is asking about variable cost & other products a valid question? Lastly, should I focus strictly on options that will make the investment profitable instead of on other factors that comes with decision making?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 📚 *Introduction to Billy Oxley and interest in consulting*
- Introduction of the guest, Billy Oxley, and his background.
- Reasons for interest in consulting and case interviews.
- Expectations from the session for case interview preparation.
01:20 🏆 *Motivation and Preparation for Case Interviews*
- Billy's motivation for consulting driven by a mission for social justice.
- Preparation strategies for real case interviews through podcast listening.
02:22 🎯 *Introduction to the Case Study: Bubble Bottles*
- Overview of the PwC style case study involving Bubble Bottles.
- Explanation of the client's business, market position, and the goal of improving operations for a profitable exit.
03:55 📈 *Background Information on the Case Study*
- Detailed description of Bubble Bottles’ business model, market presence, and the objective of the private equity firm.
06:27 🕵️♂️ *Analytical Approach to the Case Study*
- Billy outlines his analytical framework to address the case study.
- Focus on market analysis, financials, qualitative aspects, and the PE firm's goals.
10:31 🔍 *Deep Dive into Market Dynamics and Competitive Landscape*
- Discussion on understanding the competitive landscape and market dynamics for Bubble Bottles.
13:24 💡 *Market Sizing and Analysis Techniques*
- Explanation of market sizing techniques relevant to the plastic bottle industry.
- Discussion on factors affecting the market and Bubble Bottles' position within it.
17:20 📊 *Calculation and Analysis for Market Sizing*
- Detailed calculation for market sizing including considerations for the U.S., Latin America, and Canada.
- Discussion on the economic discount factor and its implications for market analysis.
24:21 🧮 *Correcting Calculation Mistakes*
- Discussion on correcting mathematical errors in market sizing.
- Emphasis on the importance of accurately adding zeros and understanding the scale of calculations.
27:01 📉 *Adjusting Market Sizing Calculations*
- Adjustment of market sizing calculations for Latin America and Canada.
- Recognition of discrepancies in initial calculations and efforts to correct them.
33:50 💰 *Calculating Revenue by Bottle Size Segment*
- Calculation of total market size and revenue distribution across different bottle sizes.
- Emphasis on profit margins and market segmentation to identify growth opportunities.
39:25 📈 *Identifying Growth Opportunities*
- Evaluation of growth opportunities in the large, medium, and small bottle segments.
- Decision-making based on market size, account numbers, and profit margins to prioritize growth efforts.
41:37 📝 *Feedback and Case Wrap-up*
- Feedback on the case performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
- Final thoughts on the investment opportunity and strategic recommendations for the client.
45:53 📝 *Feedback on Structure and Math*
- Feedback on improving structure and math accuracy.
- Encouragement to simplify calculations and focus on strategic market growth.
47:16 🧠 *Strategy and Market Analysis*
- Emphasis on the importance of top-line growth and market segmentation for strategic focus.
- Discussion on reflecting on math shortcuts and clarifications for better understanding.
49:07 🎯 *Identifying Growth Opportunities and Final Recommendation*
- Identification of growth opportunities in the water bottle market.
- Conclusion and recommendation based on market analysis and profitability margins.
51:34 🚀 *Final Thoughts and Learning Points*
- Recap of key learning points from the caseinterview.
- Emphasis on clarity, positivity, and the importance of accurate and fast math correction.
Made with HARPA AI
did anyone notice she does a "mm" after every sentence 🤣
Omg the math part was tough for him.....
For sizing, could you have used number of water companies buying their bottles instead of population
24:44 was misleading by the interviewer, he got the num right ($102B), but questioned him billion or trillion to make him 2nd guess which led him to incorrect calculation.
dude thats obvious , they'll trying everything in their control to tip your confidence off.
shouldnt he have multiplied 80L by 0.67 rather than 0.33 to get the Litre consumption in Lat Am? Lat Am has an economic discount of 1/3 meaning that they consume 1/3 less than the US, not that they consume 1/3 of what the US conumes. Let me know if im wrong :)
The way I read the information is 1/3 is the economic discount factor. So, I multiplied the factor with the US data. But this is a good point and can be clarified during the interview
Oouch!!!
Great example. I have a case study interview at pwc this week so this is a great practice.
How didi it go? :)
@@MrShneedleWoods I got the job :))) so happy!
@@ascanafire7105 Congrats! I am having my case interview next week and feel really nervous abt it. Could you please tell me if your real case was similar to this one? Was it difficult? What were you required to calculate? What materials did you find particularly helpful in your preparation apart from this mock case interview? I would really appreciate your help. Thanks
@@spacebetweenus7139 mine was for consulting so I didn't have to calculate anything, just had to come up with a plan how I would implement new software into business of a big client, in phases. First that, then that, then check that etc. It was not hard.
@@ascanafire7105 I have an interview this Sunday with PwC I really hope that I could get the job
It was great to listen, thanks a lot!!
Our pleasure! Reach out by email - team@managementconsulted.com - if you have personalized questions.
i have an interview i need to complete in a couple of days. this is very helpful, thanks :))
12:39 interview is nerve wracking, dude forgot the company is B2B not B2C. It’s normal to get nervous.
Lesson: don’t let this affect further part of the interview.
Is there a limit to how many questions I can ask before I design a framework?
prob like 3-4
Thanks for this. Can the market size be determined using the number of bottle water companies per region as against population?
That would be supply side and harder to estimate in this situation
Could he have skipped the market sizing since it does not provide any insights on how he might be able to increase revenue or profits?
No, you need to know how big is the market and growth rate in the first step. If the market is small and/or not growing, the PE decision to not go through with the deal is practically made right then
im so confused by the calculations. where did 320*320 come from please ?
320 million population
320 bottles / per capita / per year for the US
320M * 320 = 102.4 Billion bottles /per year in the US
What a huge misunderstanding of the prompt
Could you explain why?
@@merylzhang6730 Because the client is the PE firm (Rockwell(?)), and not the water bottle manufacturer. Secondly, the bottle manufacturer (Bubble bottles) does not sell branded water to customers, but sells non-labeled bottles to brands like Fiji etc.
@@MrShneedleWoods So would the focus be better on the economics of the water bottle companies (revenues, number of water bottle companies in the geo markets, their market cap, etc)?
19:29 dude got nervous
Does anybody here have experience in Public Sector and Strategy case studies?
Feel free to connect in our free LinkedIn group for case practice partners if you're looking to practice those case types: www.linkedin.com/groups/13980703/
He started the case as the question is "should client acquire this company" and he did not asked any clarifying questions. I thought the case was about "the client want to acquire (will acquire) and actually wondering how to grow that acquired business". I think this is not a very good example of solving a case
Hey everyone if anyone wants to practice with someone I have an upcoming in interview this week! If anyone is looking for a partner we can work on this together!
Hey are you still looking for a partner to practice ?
the maths lol
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